Trump places 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports
The move comes a week after Trump promised to suspend tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
President Donald Trump on Monday imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the United States.
“This is a big deal," Trump said while signing the proclamations in the Oval Office. "The beginning of making America rich again."
The proclamations impose a 25% tariff on steel imports on all countries, and raise his 2018 aluminum tariffs from 10% to 25%, without exceptions or exemptions.
The tariffs come just a week after Trump promised to suspend tariffs on Canada and Mexico. They echo steel and aluminum tariffs Trump imposed during his first administration, though at that point those were imposed explicitly on national security grounds.
This time, the rationale for the tariffs is somewhat more ambiguous: Trump has cited creating jobs and narrowing the U.S. trade deficit. Over the weekend, the president promised to punish countries “taking advantage of” U.S. businesses.
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